52 die in army, Boko Haram clash

Fifty two suspected members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, have been confirmed dead in a raid on their hideout in Maiduguri, the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the city, said yesterday.

Two soldiers also died during the raid.

The operation was launched on Friday on a location where some Boko Haram men were found and “we exchanged fire with them and about 50 of them died in the crossfire. We also lost two of our soldiers while three were injured,” said army spokesman Lt Colonel Sagir Musa.

Earlier that day, at least seven explosions occurred in different parts of the city, just five hours after the departure from there of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He was in Damaturu and Maiduguri on Thursday and Friday to personally assess the destruction wrought by Boko Haram on Yobe and Borno States, the epicentre of the activities of the sect.

At a meeting with eminent citizens of Borno at Government House, Maiduguri on Friday, the President dismissed suggestions by the stakeholders to withdraw the soldiers from the state.

He said he would grant their request only if they agreed to sign a pact with him that he should hold them responsible for any death caused by terrorists after the exit of the troops.

He expressed disappointment that while terrorism is decreasing in Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi and Niger, it has not in Borno, saying “So, if you elders will not condemn it (Boko Haram activities), you will continue to suffer under the terror of Boko Haram.”

Human Rights Watch said in a report released last year that soldiers may have committed crimes against humanity during operations aimed at crushing the insurgency.

The military has been accused of firing on unarmed civilians and razing neighbourhoods following suspected Islamist attacks, while Maiduguri residents also face roadblocks and rolling curfews in several areas.

“We always tell the soldiers to conduct themselves” professionally, Jonathan said at the Maiduguri town hall meeting.

Yes, BH is a crime against humanity. However, with these killings, it’s like the handshake is gradually going above the elbow. 52 people killed with a report that JTF went into HB’s hideout. May I therefore strongly suggest that they continually keep the video recordings of all these killings in case they are dragged to ICJ someday. This is because the JTF is already being accused of overzealousness & a crime against humanity by Human Right Watch (HRW). & I’m sure if HRW had not seen anything alarming, they wouldn’t have issued that report in the 1st instance. The onus is now on the good people of Borno state to speak out before all their able-bodied men are wiped out under the guise of combating the insurgency.

Segun or Segu! You are talking about ICJ when BH is doing more of the killings.

Kazeem

Hnnnm, 52 killed! I’m not a lawyer though, but is this not extrajudicial? Anyway, I hope this solves the problem.

ManofGod

@Kazeem are you out of your good sense which Almighty gave to you? when BH bombed churches its not extra-judicial? look all this our religion of a thing can not help us in Nigeria, if some set of muslim are doing something wrong let all join hand and fight them please. I want the army to produce the death people to the world to see, because its camouflage.

Uncle Tee

@kazeem i can’t imagine the kind of person you be.What are u just said nw when BH are killing both foreigners and innocent Nigerian in northern part of this country?wha manner of killing can u call it,i need to hear from u pls.Idiot.

The truth

Extra Judicial? do we remember how many innocent people the Boko haram has killed? The Borno state people and their Government does not want to help federal government in ending this Madness so let them enjoy it, let them continue to live with it. If the local people are not supportive of this madness, there would have been no where for them to hide, why are they not successfully bombing other parts of the country? they can’t because they will not have any hiding place. So I sincerely support the JTF and the president.

Tope

The elders in Born need to speak out at this juncture. Mr President has mentioned it categorically he will not withdraw soldiers from Maiduguri if there are still records of killing and maimings of innocent souls.
It is now left for Borno elders to decide which path to follow. They should not hesitate to sign a peacefully agreement as the President requested.

Ona

Continous kiling in Borno and other northern states wil continue to reduce their population,,.lol, next census wil gv some parts of d country gud advantage,,lol i wonder if BH has ever tot of this anyway; lol

Bjel

this is most unintelligent post ever on this forum.

Prof

God almighty will save Nigera.

Chuks akubuiro

If you like kill one thousand, the fact the problem persist means you are killing the wrong people.

God punish all of them. They BH will not know peace in their lives anymore.

Delight

So people could still have believe dt soldiers are killing BH members. How I wish u can go there and see how the innocent people suffering from soldiers attack, wot is happening to the people of Borno state is far beyond wot the are showin on us on newspaper. Both xtians and muslims are been harazed by the so called Nigeria army. Let us pray to God tơ̴̴̮͡ restore peace to d Nigeria bcos if d killing continue like this, it affect everybody.

uraloman

There is nothing like extral judicial killing what will make you to go to Boko harams hinding place if you are not one of them all of you will be wiped out from the surface of the earth including your master the satan.

omoniyi

These killings of 52boko haram members will be justifiable only if there are no innocent law abiding citizen among them.

some nig.youth ar ignorant if ds kind of killng is happenng dere wil be no bh again bt dey ar killng innocent citizen an lairng to us,if dey kil 52 an arrest 7o of dem plus d previous killng an arrest wheres bh again bt ds is rubish report frm sagir ok d 1 happen after jona left d commisioner said he didnt aware of it immagine an we see it on tv,photos.d advised i wil give jona is to grant amnesty bcos it wil bounce back on him after 2015 he wil be drag to icc.

Igbiki

If this comes out to be true, then this is blue murder.

You can’t tell me that 52 Boko Haram members assembled themselves in one place on order to get killed or be shot by soldiers.

And if its officially 52 then it could be more than 350 people, the elderly, women and children, all innocent people dead.

There has to be an international inquiry so it doesn’t go the way of the Anambra Floating Bodies.

I hope am dreaming or that this story is not true.

Dennis

May Almighty God grant eternal rest to the souls of the 2 soldiers who lost their lives while fighting to save the law abiding citizens from the evil called Boko Haram. The Soldiers should descend more heavily on the Boko Haram members and supporters. They should not mind the useless Human Right Watch, HRW are confused because while BH are committing atrocities, the HRW said nothing. BH bombed UN building, Police Headquarters, many churches, Police stations, Military formations, yet the useless HRW didn’t see those acts by BH as human right breach. It becomes a human right breach when force is now used to stop them(BH) from killing more. Did the HRW expect the soldiers to risk their own life to gently arrest a suicide bomber with bomb round his body? Please, the useless HRW should henceforth stop distracting our soldiers from carrying out their duty. I don’t see any HRW office there at the heart of Maiduguri and Yobe, rather they will stay in a safe place in Abuja and issue a useless statement distracting our soldiers from carrying out their duty. Well done Nigerian Military.

what icc or human right doing when bh is killing people? Now d govt is taking actuon now they are pokenosing. See icc or human wrong…make u na kom taste part of bh bombing maybe una go still dey drag even keyata to court. nonsense. I beg oga soldier kill them (BH) all. God help naija.

what is icc or human right doing when bh is killing people? Now d govt is taking action and they are pokenosing. See icc or whatever…make u na kom taste part of bh bombing maybe una go still fit drag even keyatta to court. nonsense. I beg oga soldier kill them (BH) all. God help naija.

OBJ

@bioku that is a lie out of all the evil operations done by bh how many people have they draw to curt? they would have draw people like bohari or atiku to curt na! In this case you cannot tell me that innocent people where in the camp of BH playing draft when the jtf came that is to tell you that anybody they killed or arrest there are BH members. Jonathan cannot be query on there other hand because he is just fighting for the peace of the nation. He never asked jtf to kill innocent people.

until bornu elders come to d realization that they have a responsibily to unmarsk d bastards called bokoharam things will continue the way it is. even worst.i surpor dee jonathan .no retreat no surrender .fire de go.

Well done JTF! Dont mind any myopic human right watch. Any body living close to BH ‘barracks’ can be taken as one of them. Sane people have since relocated from that area to make the job easier for JTF.

Dele Oyedun-Austria

These bastards must be killed. They are nuissance to the society. They must be exterminated. The far North created the problems themslves and they must bear the consequences. Their economy has been destroyed because of Boko Haram. That serves them right. They have shot themselves at the legs. They will bear the brunt.